Bock: Pool deficit only at $20K for this year

The Moberly Park Board met Tuesday, Aug 20, with Don Burton being congratulated on his first meeting on the board.

Moberly Parks and Recreation Director Troy Bock said at this time of year, the group is focusing on maintenance of backlogged projects and approving financials.

It started out as a very slow year for the Moberly Aquatic Center, as the pool was closed more than open due to weather. Revenue was lower this year, but they also held expenses down as well.

Bock explained: "Many cities run a $25,000 to $30,000 deficit for their pools. In 2011, the Aquatic Center ran a deficit of $21,174.48, while in 2012, that was reduced slightly to $20,124.52. Prior to this season, we began making some changes, ranging from adding half-price days to running more efficiently in terms of staff, while leaving fees at the levels they have been for the last four seasons. These efforts were undertaken in an effort to begin reducing our deficit over the next few seasons into the $15-16,000 range. Final numbers from the 2013 season will be available in early fall."

Moberly Parks and Recreation concession numbers are doing better than expected and are not included in that figure, which also helps.

Bock added: "As is often the case in Parks and Recreation, and as the Aquatic Center example shows, fees charged only cover a portion of the cost of operation. While the industry standard is 50 percent cost recovery with tax revenue filling the gap, Moberly Parks and Recreation fees comprise only 24. percent of our budget. Especially in these economic times, excessive fees can be both a burden and a barrier to participation, so we try to keep fees as low as possible, while also being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars."